There are several gas and electricity tariffs available today.

Sometimes choosing the right tariff can make as much difference to your monthly bills as choosing the right supplier.

So it's important to how each tariff works.

The main energy tariffs in the UK are as follows:

Single fuel tariffs
This means buying your gas from one company and your electricity from another. A single fuel tariff could save you money if you find two different companies that offer one type of energy at very cheap rates. Not all companies offer both gas and electricity.

Dual fuel tariffs
A dual fuel tariff, where one company supplies both your gas and electricity, is normally the better option if you want to save money. Most suppliers like to encourage customer loyalty, and they do this by promising a discount if you take both their gas and electricity services.

Online tariffs
Many energy suppliers offer discounts for online tariffs i.e. where you manage your own account online. This cuts down on their administration costs as paper bills are replaced by email bills.

Capped prices
Capped price tariffs guarantee that the amount you pay for your energy won’t increase over a set time period. This means you can budget more effectively and avoid massive price hikes. However, the capped level will normally be more expensive than a standard tariff to begin with.

More UK switching energy questions

Why should I think about switching energy suppliers and what energy tariffs are available?

How do I go about changing gas supplier and what exactly is Economy 7 electricity tariff?

And finally, how do I read my energy bills and how can I reduce my gas and electric bills?